Beverage dispensing display bar



Aug. 255 1941. V v, E H R 2,253,883

' BEVERAGE DISPENSING DISPLAY BAR Filed Sept. 17, 1938 'III I Viemz'n'e Beecher Wm W1 W; To keg P 7 7 6120mm Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BEVERAGE DISPENSING msrLsY'BA Valentine Beecher, Greenville, N. Y.

playing and dispensing beer, wherein the beer or the like is forced directly from kegs in a precooling chamber through a system of transparent piping to a discharge faucet. i r

The main object of the invention is to provide a beer dispensing system in which a transparent, insulated dispensing riser extends directly from a beer keg in a precooling chamber through a bar or counter provided with transparent windows through which the riser and its contents may be seen at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transparent dispensing riser of the character referred to constructed in the manner of the well known Thermos or vacuum bottle to maintain the temperature of the beer'being dispensed during its passage from kegs in the pre-cooling chamber to a dispensing faucet mounted on the bar or counter, and thereby eliminate the cooling coils, air ducts and ice chambers heretofore used for this purpose.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed description thereof proceeds.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a display bar, or counter, embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse section through the bar disclosed in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the vacuum insulated dispensing riser above referred to.

As shown in the drawing, the counter designated generally by the reference numeral 4, comprises a front wall 5 and rear wall or framework 6 connected at their upper edges by a top 1 provided with a rabbeted aperture 8 in which is seated a sheet of transparent material 9 forming a display window through which objects located in the bar below the top 1 may be observed.

The floor I supporting the counter 4 is suitably apertured to receive any desired number of transparent risers II which extend substantially, vertically upward through the floor and terminate slightly below the top I. for connection to dispensing faucets l2.

Each riser ll comprises an outer casing 12 of larger inner diameter than the outer diameter of a transparent pipe [3 which extends through the casing l2 coaxially therewith. The upper end of the pipe I3 is bent to form an elbow I4 continued as a straight substantially horizontal section l having a flange [6 at its outer end master-1, 1938, Serial'No. 230,486-

in the bar.

adapted to contact with a similar flange on a short section ll of transparent pipe connected to the faucet [2, the two flanges being connected by a resilient coupling I8. Preferably, the faucet I2 is of the transparent type shown and described in my co-pending application, patented January 23, 1940, Patent No. 2,188,216; and the coupling is of the resilient type shown and described in my co-pending application, patented August 1, 1939, Patent No. 2,167,865.

The rear wall or framework 6 is provided with the usual drain 19 for conducting the overflow through the faucet l2 back to some Waste outlet. A strut 20 supported by the framework 6 supports a strip 2| extending lengthwise of the bar and on which is mounted any suitable number of electric light bulbs 22 adapted to illuminate the interior of the counter 4; and, particularly, to illuminate the transparent plate 9 by reflection of their rays from the surface of a mirror23 suitably supported by angle brackets 24 secured to the end walls of the bar. A flange 25 projects up from the rear edge of the strip 2| and is curved over the upper ends of the electric light bulb 22 to protect the same. A series of port holes 26 formed in the front wall 5 of the bar, and closed by transparent panes 21 of glass or other suitable material, serve to ornamentally illuminate the bar at the front'and display the dispensing risers and other matter It will be observed that the transparent panel 9 lies flush with the upper surface of the counter top 1 and is located substantially between the longitudinal center and front edge of said top, leaving a solid, opaque portion of the counter top lying in rear of the panel and between the rear edge of the panel and rear edge of the counter top. The upper end of the riser ll extends to a point close to but below this opaque portion of the counter, so that the pipe connections 15 and I! in rear thereof will be concealed from view through the panel 9. The mirror 15, as shown, is disposed below the panel 9 and below the level of the panels 21 and extends from a point adjacent the front wall 5 at a downward and rearward angle toward the rear wall 6, so that it will lie out of the path of the light rays passing from the lamp 22 -supported by the rear wall 6 to the panels 21 so as not to obstruct the passage of light to the latter, while at the same time it is disposed in a position to reflect the light directly upward through the prominent display. By this arrangement of the parts the front of the counter will be illuminated through the panels 21, while the top of the counter and portion of the room thereabove will be illuminated through the panel 9 in such a mannor as to prevent the light rays from being thrown directly into the eyes of a customer standing at the front of the counter or a bartender or other attendant standing at the rear of the counter. Such arrangement further provides for the reflection of, the upper portions or the risers I I in the face of the mirror, so that a Very pleasing and ornamental illuminating effeet will be obtained and appear to a person looking downward through the panel 9. ously the opaque rear portion of the-top leprovides a service portion on which drinking glasses, bottles and the like may be placed, so'that this portion of the'counter may largely stand the wear and tear of service, while reducing to a large extent liability of the panel 9 being scratched by contact of objects therewith or becoming clouded by deposit of liquid from drinking or other service vessels thereon.

It will be apparent from the disclosure herein that the vacuum tube risers H operate in the manner of the well known Thermosor vacuum bottle to maintain the temperature of the beverage being dispensed at substantially the same temperature it has in the kegs arranged in the pro-cooling chambers. It will also-be apparent that this vacuum tube construction eliminates the necessity of packing the dispensing pipes with ice or other cooling material. The windows and port holes in the top and front walls of the bar and the transparent character of the dispensing risers provide very efiective means for dislaying the character of the beer being dispensed.

What I claim is:

l. A dispensing counter having a front wall, a back wall and a substantially flat horizontal top, a transparent display panel in the front wall adjacent to but below the level of the top, a transparent display panel in the top lying in the plane of said top and located between its lon gitudinal center and front edge, leaving a solid opaque portion of the top lying in rear of said display panel, a liquid conducting riser arranged within the counter in rear of the vertical plane of the rear edge of the top panel and adjacent to but in advance of the rear wall and extending upwardly to a level above the panel in the front wall and to a point adjacent to and beneath the opaque rear portion of the top so that its upper portion will be exposed to view through said panels, a source of light mounted on the rear wall in rear of the riser so as to illuminate the up- .per portion of the interior of the counter and so that light rays therefrom will shine through both panels, and a mirror or reflector arranged between the vertical center of the counter and the front wall to lie beneath the top panel, said mirror or reflector having its reflecting face inclined at a rearward and downward angle toward the back wall from a point adjacent to but below the level of the panel in the front wall so as to avoid obstruction to the passage of light rays to said panel but so as to intercept light rays from the illuminating means and reflect the same upwardly toward the top panel and backwardly toward the liquid conducting riser whereby the riser will be attractively illuminated for view through both panels and reflected also when viewed through the top panel in the face of the mirror. 2. A dispensing counter having a front wall, a back wall and a substantially flat horizontal top, a transparent display panel in the top lying in the plane of said top and located between its longitudinal center and front edge, leaving a solid opaque portion of the top lying in rear of the rear edge of the panel, a liquid conducting riser arranged within the counter in rear of the vertical plane of the rear edge of said panel and adjacent to but in advance of the rear wall and extending upwardly to a point adjacent to and beneath the opaque rear portion of the top wall so that its upper portion will be exposed to View through said panel, a source of light mounted on the rear wall in rear of the riser so as to illuminate the upper portion of the interior of the counter and so that light rays therefrom will shine through the panel, and a mirror or reflector arranged between the vertical center'of the counter and the front wall to lie beneath the panel, said mirror or reflector having its reflecting face inclined at a rearward and downward angle from a point adjacent the front wall toward the back wall so as to intercept light rays from the illuminating means and reflect the same upwardly toward the panel and backwardly toward the liquid conducting riser whereby the riser will be attractively illuminated for View through the panel and reflected also when viewed through the panel inthe face of the mirror.

VALENTINE BEECHER 

